It’s not often one gets to interview two Debs in the same day, but that was my very pleasurable task a couple of week ago – just before the big move from Idaho to Oregon (more about that later).
Deborah Anderson
She’s something, this woman: computer geek, social media presentations expert, jazz singer, and accomplished pianist. There’s not too much Deborah Anderson can’t do.
I first met this Deb in a Twitter Chat. She is the multimedia expert on Ann Smarty’s team. And she’s unmistakable — with her trademark red lipstick and upscale persona. This Deb is multifaceted, and she is a longtime advocate of social media.
Working as the I.T. Director for investment firms succeeded in giving Deb a good dose of corporate burnout. So she parlayed her musical skills into a best-selling album on Reverb Nation and performances at the star-studded nightclubs on Sunset Strip.
This Deb can definitely sing.
GoGirls and beyond
Participating in the GoGirls Music Twitter Chat opened her eyes to the possibilities of social media, turning her into a Twitter Chat evangelist. “I harassed Ann Smarty until she agreed to launch a Twitter Chat for her website,” says Deb. “It was GoGirls that made me realize, “Hey, I can turn this into a business.”
It was the relationship-building aspect of Twitter that grabbed Deb’s heart, but it wasn’t long before another suitor showed up at the door: Google hangouts. She still maintains her Twitter passion, but Google hangouts are what makes her smile nowadays. And she’s getting more adept at the process all the time.
Ann Smarty put Deb to work figuring out the process, and Google hangouts are now a monthly occurrence for team members. (Yep, that butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil really can cause a hurricane in Florida.)
Now, Deborah and husband, Michael, are working out the bugs and producing some of the best Google hangouts to be found anywhere.
Deb is all over the place on the internet, but a good spot to check in with her is the Social Web Café.
Where is this ball of fire headed?
You won’t meet anyone more compassionate than Deborah Anderson – maybe it’s the artistic side of her. Maybe it is life experiences; she hasn’t always enjoyed a bed of roses. Talk with her long about social media, and you will hear her heart. Things like, “Many people have 1000 friends on Facebook, but not a real friend in the world,” and “I want to know more about how to use new tools, but without using people.”
It’s not surprising, then, to discover that Deb is currently taking master’s level studies in psychology. Down the road, she sees more music in the works (first things first) and a focus on developing training programs to help others better engage and build relationships through social media.
And that leads to one more place where you can meet the jazz singer and online advice maven, Deborah E. (Anderson); she is open for questions on the Positive Persistence website.
Get to know her. Listen to her music. Relax.
Debbie White
If Deborah Anderson was blessed with a voice like honey from birth, this Deb grew up with vocal challenges to overcome.
Some kids who have speech impediments retreat into themselves and withdraw from most social interaction. Debbie White, though, used her lisp as a catalyst to make her push even harder.
Turned down in a bid for her school’s cheer-leading squad, by judges who made no bones about their unwillingness to give the nod to a cheerleader who couldn’t “talk right,” Debbie was faced with a life-changing decision: Would she let the disappointment and embarrassment of that moment keep her from ever putting herself out there again, or would she reach way down and draw upon the courage to face the world anyway?
Debbie decided to carve out a career in sales, and she took to it like a kid to chocolate licorice. Hers is not a rags-to-riches story, by the way. She was Rookie Of the Year right off the bat, and the accolades are still rolling in.
Success seems to follow this Deb into the room. Don’t take my word for it, though; attend a Debbie White seminar and watch it happen. The woman is mesmerizing.
Big names and lessons learned
She doesn’t regret any of the jobs she’s held. They have all helped make her the sought-after expert she is today. At Starwood Hotels, Deb managed the sales force and learned all about the inner life of corporations. Listening to her story made me reflect on my own experience, and how it was adversity that propelled me to discover the secret to realizing a Dream: Make it necessary.
Deb decided she wanted to work with entrepreneurs, and with unyielding determination, she went on to work with some of the biggest names in motivation and marketing. She managed the sales team for Bob Proctor, and — when I met her — she was helping the ineffable Les Brown launch a new promotion.
Debbie White is an unstoppable force for good. She has it all: intelligence, charm, exceptional experience, and a heart of gold.
Right now, Deb’s passion is a program entitled “The Inevitable Sale.” She says there are three critical things to remember:
- Your business is dependent on sales
- Sales is dependent on you
- The key to success is being comfortable with how you sell
And if there is anyone who knows how to sell; it is Debbie White.
How you approach sales arises from how you approach life
Hers is a principle-centered approach. Growing up in Oklahoma, Debbie’s father first taught her the fundamentals of value-based living. Deb doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk. You meet her; you like her … and you can’t help but feel you have (finally) met a genuine human being.
After Les Brown told me he wanted to write the foreword to the Roadmap to Freedom (Dream Into It) field manual, it was Debbie White who kept checking with me for an entire year to see if I had received the promised page.
In her emails, it was easy to see that Deb cared about responsibility and reputation. For Debbie, if you say it; you do it. No exceptions. You can’t help but admire that kind of dedication. The longer I know Debbie White, the more impressed I am with who she is.
And in California, when Debbie taught her business strategy course at 0800 on a Saturday morning – after a late Friday night being coached by Les Brown’s team of experts – the room was packed. Moreover, many participants (me included) felt it was the most valuable training they had received in a long, long time.
Debbie White not only knows what she teaches, but she knows how to teach … and that, my friend, is a rare combination.
What do Deborah Anderson and Debbie White have in common?
In a way, these aren’t two ladies one would expect to see sharing the limelight. “Deborah E.,” the jazz singer, would blend right in to the scene at a club or lounge – the movie star with a long, tapered cigarette holder; the men, eager to buy her a drink or lend a light.
Debbie White would look out of place there. If you found her sitting down anywhere, it would be to discuss business. No long silk dresses and sultry looks for Deb. She comes across more like the girl next door than a nightclub singer, and I’d be willing to bet she would blush if the guys strayed too far away from talking shop. Debbie White is one of the most focused people I’ve ever met.
So, what do these two Debs have in common – other than I was honored to speak with them both on the same day? I can see several common factors – testaments and guidelines to keep you and me centered on the road to success:
- They dream big and don’t make excuses
- They work hard … really hard
- They are excellent communicators
- They are willing to take risks and face change
- They genuinely care about people and look way beyond the fast buck
Playing it safe isn’t really all that safe
Another thing in common – and this is an attribute I now share with them: they weren’t afraid to leave the confines and cushiness of a successful corporation for the uncertainties of entrepreneurship. It is one thing to talk or teach or read about launching your own business – but an entirely different experience to step out and do it.
Both Debs hit a point where they were fed up with the status quo. They wanted more. And both garnered the courage to step out and “grow for it.”
Why should you care? Because — if they can do it; you can do it too. Pick up your persistence, polish off your Dream, and prepare to enter a different reality – one where you don’t have to punch any clocks, kowtow to any stuffed shirts, or get permission to think.
Need help? I know at least two excellent sources of information, and they both start with “Deb.”
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